


i’ll show you every version of yourself tonight

by annmeredithperkins



Category: The Mindy Project
Genre: F/M, Post canon, ben affleck slander as i should, domestic as fuck mindy and danny, dorks in love listening to taylor swift, my kink is danny taking responsibility for his shitty actions, set during the lockdown of 2020, there is like 0 plot it’s just cute, who me and rosie named ariana
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:53:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25580893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annmeredithperkins/pseuds/annmeredithperkins
Summary: Of course Mindy Lahiri would force Danny to listen to Taylor Swift’s “Folklore” the second it drops so she can keep up with the internet trends. The twist is that Danny himself actually really enjoys it.
Relationships: Danny Castellano/Mindy Lahiri
Comments: 4
Kudos: 18





	i’ll show you every version of yourself tonight

**Author's Note:**

> as usual it’s not been checked and has been written at 1am. i love these two and i think we need more happy domesticity and taylor swift with them <3

“I can't believe you’ve made me do this. We’re old now, Min. The only reason I should be up past 10:30 is for a shift.” Danny grumbled, shoving his pillow higher so he could comfortably lean back whilst he sat up. 

“I’m sure I can make it up to you.” Mindy pouted sarcastically, before leaning over and sliding her lips over his own. 

“I’d say this is a good start.” He murmured, in the small breathing opportunity he allowed himself before returning to her. 

“You know we’d be awake anyway, thanks to Ari, or have you forgotten what having a toddler entails.” She leaned back, her head resting in the crook of Danny’s neck. 

“Leo could’ve handled it.” 

“Leo’s four years old, Dan.” 

“Perfect time to learn. I was looking after Richie at a young age.” His tone always got a little bitter when talking about his childhood. Mindy pushed back a curl from his forehead in a display of comfort. 

“Because your dad was an asshole. Is Leo’s dad an asshole?” She joked, continuing to play with his hair. 

“Only when he isn’t allowed enough sleep.” Danny grinned in return. 

“You’re such a grump. I thought I’d converted you to being a Swiftie. Plus the guy from the National band you like. This is like, our album, babe.” 

“Please never refer to me as a “Swiftie” again just because I allow you and our children to play it in the house. And god, I hope he doesn’t still think I’m married to Morgan.” 

“I hope he does.” Mindy began to move, connecting her phone to the speaker and pressing shuffle on the newly released album. “So he can be inspired by your tumultuous love story.” Danny only raised his eyebrow before motioning for her to tuck back into him. 

_ I can see you standing, honey _

_ With his arms around your body _

_ Laughin', but the joke's not funny at all _

“I know your phone confuses you sometimes Min, but this is definitely a guy’s voice.” Danny whispered. “Not that I’m complaining but..” Mindy smacked him lightly.

“No subtle misogyny tonight.”

“I’m not a misogynist! I love women!” Danny’s eyes widened and he gave a purposely dramatic interpretation of being taken aback. “Seriously though, I’ve been much better since Anna made me and Morgan take that HR workshop.” 

“I only wish Jody would’ve stayed for that one.” She chuckled out, proud of herself, and he smiled at her, ever so softly.

_ I can see you starin', honey _

_ Like he's just your understudy _

_ Like you'd get your knuckles bloody for me _

They locked eyes as the acoustic melody played through the room. Mindy had absentmindedly begun tracing small patterns on his chest through the cotton of his t-shirt. 

“We don’t talk about the messy parts of our relationship a lot do we, Danny? After that night I left.” She sighed. 

“It wasn’t your fault. I always made it seem like it was. But you didn’t deserve the way I treated you, Min. A lot of times, I didn’t even know who I was being. Because it wasn’t myself.” His eyes shuffled away from hers, glazing over slightly. Mindy didn’t think he’d ever been that open with her about it. Vulnerable wasn’t exactly in his vocabulary. 

“It was like a Reese Witherspoon rom-com and Ben Affleck plays the brooding love interest who runs off being mean the whole time but she shakes it off because it’s Ben Affleck, you know? He probably doesn’t mean it.” Film analogies were always something comforting to her and she hoped it worked on him too. 

“Do we not like Ben Affleck anymore?” Danny let the slightest chuckle leave him. 

“We don’t. But I think we’ve forgiven Danny Castellanos.” She nudged his rib slightly. 

“He’s sorry anyway.” She kissed him again, much softer than earlier. 

“You’re distracting me from Taylor.” 

The next couple of songs played with limited interruption from Danny. He kept his mouth shut, but he always had a problem staying still with Mindy next to him, playing with the tips of her hair or tracing circles along her hip. 

_ I want you to know _

_ I'm a mirrorball _

_ I'll show you every version of yourself tonight _

“I like this one. I think maybe we’re each other’s mirrorball. Like I can really be myself when we’re together.” 

Mindy pressed the back of her hand to Danny’s forehead, only to have it quickly removed with a squirm. 

“You’re being overly sappy tonight, Castellano. Just checking you haven’t come down with something.”

“I can stop if you want.” He raised an eyebrow. “Or you could take advantage of it and dance with me?” 

“It has been a while” Mindy grinned, accepting the offer of his hand. 

_ Hush, when no one is around, my dear _

_ You'll find me on my tallest tiptoes _

_ Spinning in my highest heels, love  _

_ Shining just for you _

She hooked her arms around his torso and he held the small of her back, allowing her to lean into him as he rested his chin on the top of her head. 

“This would’ve been a good first dance song.” They swayed softly, her murmuring into his chest. 

“Were you not happy with Springsteen?” He smirked. 

“I don’t know. Maybe you should just get divorced  _ again.  _ We could have a whole other wedding.” Danny separated them, his face fallen. Mindy was shocked, about to apologise profusely before her sides were attacked by the light touch of her husband's fingers, tickling her out of his grasp. Her laugh got increasingly high pitched, squealing as she attempted to get away. 

“Mom? You guys are really loud.” Leo leant against the door to his parents’ room, arms folded in a way that could only be inherited from his Dad. She glared at Danny, who’s smirk had decreased but not disappeared. 

“We’re sorry sweetie. Hey, I have an idea.” Mindy adorned her own smirk now and walked over to her son, placing her hands on his shoulders and moving the hair from where it tried to fall into his eyes. “How about Daddy gets us midnight ice cream?” 

Leo attempted to mull it over but his agreement was clear from the first mention. Since they moved back in together, Mindy had gained the upper hand with her now spouse around their children’s diets. Danny may force Leo to eat normally at school but Mindy had given both him and Ariana a sweet tooth to rival her own, which only led to situations like the current one. 

“I like that plan.”

Danny’s expression morphed into annoyed defeat as he reluctantly grabbed his navy bomber from its home on the back of the chair. He ruffled Leo’s hair as he passed and disguised a rough whisper of “You  _ so  _ owe me” as a kiss on Mindy’s cheek. 

“We’ll sort Ari. See you in ten.” She winked as Danny glared at her, before turning to unlock the door. With his back to his wife, he let a small smile rise on his face.

He secretly loved midnight ice cream. He not so secretly loved Mindy Lahiri. 


End file.
